Cost of Iraq invasion and occupation will surpass that of Vietnam war by year's end

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April 11, 2009

The amount of U.S. money spent on the Iraq war will surpass the cost of Vietnam by the end of the year, making it the second most expensive military conflict in American history, behind World War II, according to Pentagon figures provided Friday.

If Congress approves the supplemental funding request submitted this week by the Obama administration, it will add $87 billion to the cost of the war for 2009.

Added to the amount spent through 2008, it would mean the Iraq war will have cost taxpayers a total of about $694 billion. By comparison, the Vietnam war cost $686 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars and World War II cost $4 trillion, according to a Congressional Research Service study completed last year.

The Iraq war is the second-longest modern war ever fought with an all-volunteer U.S. force, behind the smaller-scale effort in Afghanistan. Volunteer forces are more expensive because of the financial premium needed to retain people.


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-iraq-vietnam11-2009apr11,0,738307.story

[UTUSN]

1. George W. SHRUB!!!!!!!!!1 n/t